Assignment 5

Every year when school starts to get closer and closer to summer break our most popular announcements at the end of the day over the intercom were; “It’s getting close
to the end of the school year make sure you finish strong” and “make sure to go home
and remind your parents about reenrolling for next school year.” Anytime those words
were said by our headmaster you can always guarantee hearing a discussion from a
student about how much tuition has increased over the years. We as a community see
the tuition price change, but don’t see where the money is being used towards
maintaining the core values Greater Atlanta Christian School has promised us from the
When you walk onto GACs campus you expect to encounter a non-judgment,
humble, generous and welcoming Christian atmosphere except you receive a whole lot
of glamour. During senior year, we got to listen to how the school will evolve into the
upcoming year after we parted our separate ways. We all sat there in amazement as
they talked about building a tower in the middle of the campus so everyone around the
radius of the school will recognize who we are and what we stand for. Let alone it being
a very expensive project that was brought to the student bodies attention from our
school board. Being caught off guard by the absurd changes waiting to be done it really
makes you think hard about how GAC prioritizes. Do we really have a say in where the
money we donated from our pockets is going towards? We can spend millions of dollars
to build asinine structures rather than focusing more on service and giving back to the
community around us. Christians are suppose to be a pillar in our community, but the
community around GAC is severely impoverished. The local areas need a caring hand
but instead GAC appears to be an egotistical maniac. Crime rates rising, unemployment
rates rising, dependency rates rising, but GAC cares more about the flash and appeal
rather than true substance. Everyday driving to school was a journey. One would pass
through seeing a drug deal, robbery, or it seemed the whole community walking
together on the street. One of my friends was almost abducted outside of the school by
a member of a notorious sex trade cartel. Instead of following true Christian ideologies
and practices, our school ignored people in trouble. Even when trouble showed up at
their own doorstep. Students, parents, and faculty have become irate with where the
school is going. As Frederick Douglass once said, “If there is no struggle, there is no
progress”. The struggle to change the school is real and our actions are the only thing
that will lead to change and progress. My opinion on a direction GAC can take would be
getting the parents of the school more involved in after school activities, academics and
service projects that could help strengthen their Christian values and beliefs. A huge
benefit from having families involved in school life would be able to see their change
and focus with their own eyes. another way we can try to change the school is funding
for our mission trips to do good and to refurbish communities around the world.
Learning who you are and being able to experience leadership skills, passion and
initiative.
One important aspect of growing the school is getting the parents more involved
in everyday school activities. From academics to service projects that could help the
students strengthen their Christian values and beliefs. When the board members saw
the schools progress on the extra curriculums, they became to be more supportive. In
my junior year of high school, I had to fundraise thousands of dollars for a trip to Kenya.
Which in other words, my parents had to pay even more money to fund GAC.
Surprisingly, the school support came through and my second trip Kenya was on the
house. You could slowly see the personality of the school begin to change. No longer
was it’s only desire curb appeal. The extracurriculars began to strength which included
volunteering in the impoverished areas around the school itself. The values that one
would expect when walking onto the campus were finally being fulfilled.
Even in recent years, GAC has never been one of the most diverse schools.
Slowly, they began to assimilate to current political and cultural beliefs. This brought a
new age to the school. Instantly it became more respected and inviting. Which lead to
great academic growth throughout all the schools. It opened up the doors to widen the
range to the academic community. Every student in my graduating class went to
college. That is a rare thing to happen throughout the history of the school. Hopefully,
the positive outlook for the school will continue down this road.
When we look back on our high school years, we hope to look back with
fondness as you remember all the memories and obstacles that made you the person
you are today. During my first few years, I did not believe this future alma-mater would
be anything to be appreciative of. However, the schools progression from shallow to
slowly change into a generous and moral institution will hold my conclusion. Sadly the
tuition will always be on the rise and we were unable to make a dent in that. There is
significant difference in the substance overcoming the flash. But the parents and
student progress in reforming the school back to the correct Christian stature will have a
resounding effect.